Coronavirus Florida: Publix deploys more robust safety measures

Thursday

The store in the Town of Palm Beach made several changes this week to promote social distancing between customers and employees.

The Palm Beach Publix this week implemented a number of changes to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Publix, the island’s only supermarket, is now limiting the number of customers who can be in the store at a given time, and is monitoring customers waiting outside so they maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from one another.

On Thursday morning, the front doors were set up so the south side was for entering and the north side for exiting. An employee was stationed at the entrance to open and close the doors to control the number of customers in the store.

There were perhaps 60 people in the line out front, and they appeared to be abiding by markers to keep everyone apart. Some of the employees, and many shoppers, were wearing masks.

Inside the store, directional markers now guide shoppers on a path through the store, encouraging a one-way movement through the shopping aisles, so it’s easier for shoppers to maintain a distance of at least six feet, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Markers also have been added to the checkout aisles remind shoppers to keep the social distance.

The changes follow weeks of criticism from town officials who said the store was not doing enough to follow the rules of social distancing.

It is not known if the changes were in response to town demands because Publix did not return calls seeking comment for this story.

However, some of the safeguards are being implemented at other stores in the 1,200-plus Publix chain.

Nearly two weeks ago, plexiglass shields were installed between the customers and cashiers at checkout points and the store has been sanitizing the shopping carts. The town said those measures were not enough and wanted the store to do more.

In recent weeks, town officials have been in contact daily with Publix’s management, at the local level and higher, urging the store to follow social distancing guidelines, Town Manager Kirk Blouin said.

About a week ago, Blouin and Town Council members expressed grave concern about the lack of social distancing in the store, and recommended that residents order their groceries and supplies online, for home delivery or curbside pickup, instead of going into the store.

“We have been working with their leadership and strongly encouraging them to put in additional improvements in some areas,” Blouin said. “We can’t force them to do anything because they are a private business. But we are certainly trying to give them guidance and leadership.”

It’s been slow, but the store is responding, he said.

“I went by there Monday or Tuesday and they were only letting so many people in the store at any given time,” Blouin said. “Outside the store they were spacing them six feet apart.”

Store Manager Greg Serkin said in an interview more than a week ago that the store had posted social-distancing signs, and was attempting to cooperate with the town.

“Everything the town has requested of us, we have passed along” to corporate management, Serkin said at the time. “It’s difficult to achieve social distancing because it comes down to cooperation with the customers.”

The town still recommends that shoppers order groceries online for home delivery or curbside pickup and just stay out of the store, Blouin said.

If you decide to shop in the store, it’s best to avoid it during the busiest hours, which are between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., and from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., he said.